Resumé in Word

SwiftLives · Feb 22, 2008

I spent about 2 days carefully designing my resumé in InDesign. It's actually part of an overall identity package that ties in with my business card and my website. So naturally, it's saved as a PDF since I want to be able to retain a little bit of control over the fonts that people see on their screen.

Of course, this place where I'm applying wants it as a Word file.

Word does not give me the control I desire. (I admit - I have control issues over my identity package.)

Can I place a PDF into a Word file? Will I need to send both files or does Word embed the PDF? Or is there another way to do this that will retain the visual identity I want the company to see?

LeviG · Feb 22, 2008

I know that the full adobe acrobat (atleast on windows) can export to word, doesn't always come out too well but it may be worth a shot.

Not sure of any other route except producing it in word - maybe consider a jpeg picture as the whole file

Personally I can't see any reason why a company specifically wants a word format, pdf is a universal format.

xUKHCx · Feb 22, 2008

You can insert pdfs into word.

Might be a little different as I am at a PC at the moment.

Insert - Object - Create from File

You will have to play around with it a bt when you get it in the document as it scales it to fit the page.

It will act as a giant picture bascially and it really beefs up the size of the document. And only displays the front page.

You could just use exported jpgs and insert them, that will probably cut down on the size of te document.

Le Big Mac · Feb 22, 2008

LeviG said:
Personally I can't see any reason why a company specifically wants a word format, pdf is a universal format.

+1. I've encountered this as well, and it makes no sense. I can understand specifying Word over some other word processor (Wordperfect) or text file. But if you can use Word, you can open a pdf.

tuxtpenguin · Feb 22, 2008

I have run into this before too. A company only accepts Word formatted resumes...

creator2456 · Feb 22, 2008

LeviG said:
Personally I can't see any reason why a company specifically wants a word format, pdf is a universal format.

Might be they are just trying to see if people can follow directions.?

BoyBach · Feb 22, 2008

Word (.doc) is the worldwide industry standard.
Lot's of employers / recruiters have software that 'scans' documents for key words.
Why would you want to retain control over your "image package"? It's what's on the resume / CV that matters and not what it looks like.

DarkHeraldMage · Feb 22, 2008

creator2456 said:
Might be they are just trying to see if people can follow directions.?

One of the other reasons is the ability to remove information. I know at my company when contractors have their resumes submitted to us from agencies, the names and contact info are removed for further anonymity - this is difficult to do in all PDFs since some are able to be editted and some are not. I too have my resume in PDF format, but I always keep a current .doc file as well for just such a reason.

IgnatiusTheKing · Feb 22, 2008

newappleboy said:
One of the other reasons is the ability to remove information. I know at my company when contractors have their resumes submitted to us from agencies, the names and contact info are removed for further anonymity - this is difficult to do in all PDFs since some are able to be editted and some are not. I too have my resume in PDF format, but I always keep a current .doc file as well for just such a reason.

What he said. A lot of places, especially bigger corporations that have whole HR departments, have software that extracts the information from Word docs and inputs it into their system. It doesn't work with a PDF. If you submit a Word doc that is just an otherwise empty file with a PDF embedded, you probably won't even get a call.

That being said, when I was looking for a design job last year, I didn't get many hits with my Word-based resume, but as soon as I redid it, more graphically, in InDesign, I got a lot more hits and ultimately got a great job at a small company.

DarkHeraldMage · Feb 22, 2008

IgnatiusTheKing said:
That being said, when I was looking for a design job last year, I didn't get many hits with my Word-based resume, but as soon as I redid it, more graphically, in InDesign, I got a lot more hits and ultimately got a great job.

Agreed. Word seems to inspire people to rely heavily on their template, and as someone who used to be very close to someone in HR, he would always talk about how boring it is to look through the exact same style resume after resume. If you catch their eye, they'll be more willing to look over your qualifications. It's sad but true - pretty works.

wordmunger · Feb 22, 2008

If you want the job, follow their instructions. Otherwise your resume will be thrown in the trash. Circumventing the requirement by putting a PDF in the Word file will only accelerate your resume's journey to the wastebasket.

BoyBach · Feb 22, 2008

newappleboy said:
...he would always talk about how boring it is to look through the exact same style resume after resume...

Working in HR and complaining of looking through resumes? Methinks that he's in the wrong job!

SwiftLives · Feb 22, 2008

BoyBach said:
Why would you want to retain control over your "image package"? It's what's on the resume / CV that matters and not what it looks like.

Word is a clunky program which does not allow me the flexibility I require to present my resume as I want to present it.

Graphic design is one of the few professions where one is judged not only by the content of the resumé, but also the design.

Anyway, I talked to the recruiter today and was told that a PDF would be fine.

Bullet dodged.

Blue Velvet · Feb 23, 2008

SwiftLives said:
Word is a clunky program which does not allow me the flexibility I require to present my resume as I want to present it.

How you wish to present something is not necessarily compatible with the wishes of those doing the hiring; a power-dynamic that may be prudent to reflect on now and then.

Simple answer is: keep a Word version on hand just in case. Some agencies I've been in touch with recently don't even want an attached file, they want all the info in the body of a plain-text email... no doubt preferring to concentrate on the content rather than the presentation.

Having control issues as a designer isn't necessarily helpful in all cases, especially when dealing with clients or hirers.

AlexisV · Feb 23, 2008

Why would you want to retain control over your "image package"? It's what's on the resume / CV that matters and not what it looks like.

Yep, I'd really impress them if I wrote it by hand.

If your CV doesn't look like you've put any effort into it, why should you put any effort into the job?

Every CV should be clean, attractive and easy to read. A graphic design CV should another notch or two up from what the general population can come up with.

Eraserhead · Feb 23, 2008

You could ask to send it as a PDF, though if they want a Word .doc file, then you should try and send that.

I think I'd prefer to accept a PDF as it will definitely have the same formatting as the person sending the file. Though I should point out that I'm not currently working so won't be hiring anyone for a while.

Topher15 · Feb 23, 2008

SwiftLives said:
Word is a clunky program which does not allow me the flexibility I require to present my resume as I want to present it.

Graphic design is one of the few professions where one is judged not only by the content of the resumé, but also the design.

Is it designed/presented as it is on your web site? To be honest I find the background underneath the body of text to be distracting and hard to read - I had to move closer to the screen to see it - especially since you're headings and the background image are the same colour.

ezekielrage_99 · Feb 24, 2008

I have 2 CVs:

1) A PDF
2) A Word version

Personally it works for me both have the same information but it gives me the choice to give the employer what they need/want.

Most brand/design agencies will prefer a PDF while job seeking in my personal experience want Word documents. If you have both a PDF and Word version of your CV you can't go wrong.

And good luck on the job hunt and interviews.

tgildred · Feb 24, 2008

Blue Velvet said:
How you wish to present something is not necessarily compatible with the wishes of those doing the hiring; a power-dynamic that may be prudent to reflect on now and then.

Simple answer is: keep a Word version on hand just in case. Some agencies I've been in touch with recently don't even want an attached file, they want all the info in the body of a plain-text email... no doubt preferring to concentrate on the content rather than the presentation.

Having control issues as a designer isn't necessarily helpful in all cases, especially when dealing with clients or hirers.

It's give and take. A a designer I feel that the design of the document I'm presenting says a lot about me---though admittedly not as much as the content. And the industry I'm in values, or should value, the aesthetic you bring to the table. A plain old Word document doesn't showcase this. Personally, if a job description I'm initially interested in goes on to request a Word-only resume, than I nearly always pass it over. But then I've already got a good job and can afford to be a bit of a design-snob!

It's the same reason I pass over anything that requires Windows/PC experience only.

(but I do keep a Word-ready version around just in case---you need to have a full tool-belt in this business, honestly)

tgildred · Feb 24, 2008

I really like your Web site by the way.

JE-Illustration · Feb 25, 2008

As another poster said, I used Adobe Acrobat Professional to export it as a word document. The only time I needed this though was for like Careerbuilder.com cause they stopped accepting .pdf's.

Also when I changed my resume from reading the book 48 Days To the Work You Love, I started getting 2nd interviews and such. I would say my interviews doubled. But that was probably cause of my own faults with my old resume. Check and check your spelling and any mistakes. After a few months go back and check it again... you'll be amazed at the typos in there... i think for awhile my street address was off by one number lol.

kitki83 · Feb 26, 2008

I usually do is make my resume in word. Work on it till I am happy and its easy to register the information. Then drop it InDesign and begin a more creative approach. Both will have similar styles/content but one is more generic for being word format while the other is more creative. Thats how I resolve my problem with that. Plus I recommend a third format word doc an e mailable or when posting in Careerbuilder or Monster, basically removed all the tabs and work on spacing.

Blue Velvet · Feb 26, 2008

tgildred said:
And the industry I'm in values, or should value, the aesthetic you bring to the table. A plain old Word document doesn't showcase this.

Depends on where you want to work. In a large organisation, top-sifting of a first pile of CVs might be done by someone in HR who's looking to match person specifications... they might want a Word document for reasons of their own and if you can knock together something half-decent in Word, it shows you know how to design with whatever tools you have to hand.

By all means, design a CV that looks nice. But if you can't or won't give a potential employer what they want, it means you can't follow a brief.

ChrisA · Feb 26, 2008

Le Big Mac said:
+1. I've encountered this as well, and it makes no sense. I... if you can use Word, you can open a pdf.

No. What you ment is "if I can use Word, I can open a pdf."
Do not under estimate the level of technical incompetence of the typical "HR Person".

Or on the other hand their process may be very sophisticatd. many times what they do is run the incomming resume through some software that hunts for "buzz words" and score it based on the number of hits. Or maybe the resumes go into a Google Appliance where they can then do full text searches. This software may be written such that it can only accept .doc files.

ezekielrage_99 · Feb 26, 2008

ChrisA said:
No. What you ment is "if I can use Word, I can open a pdf."
Do not under estimate the level of technical incompetence of the typical "HR Person".

I always thought HR stood for "Hired Retards"...

If a big organisation palms me off to an HR Department I usually don't pursue the job any further, HR Departments in general are full of people who can't really make it anywhere else (I'm sorry I'm not trying to be a troll) and therefore don't have the experience or expertise in an area when they are hiring/interviewing/etc for a different department.

I have seriously has one HR person in an interview say "We're looking for a designer who can designer nice graphics, you know the type of graphics where people say wow those are nice graphics", thankfully a better opportunity arose.

Resumé in Word

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